News / National
UBH petitioned to reinstate suspended trainee nurse
28 Jul 2021 at 07:43hrs | Views
THE Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) have petitioned United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) to reinstate a trainee nurse who was suspended after a pregnancy test returned a "positive" result.
The trainee nurse, Sibonginkosi Jacqueline Dube, was on May 17 suspended from the training programme after a pregnancy test produced a false positive result.
ZLHR have written to UBH ordering her reinstatement.
ZLHR's Jabulani Mhlanga wrote to UBH chief executive officer (CEO) Narcissus Dzvanga demanding Dube's reinstatement.
"After receiving the pregnancy results, Dube conducted a selftest, whose results were negative and she informed officials at UBH of this development," Mhlanga wrote.
"She also undertook further testing at Mpilo Central Hospital and the results were negative. But despite the outcome of the second set of the pregnancy test, results and numerous engagements with some UBH officials as well as some officials from the Health and Child Care ministry, Dube has not been reinstated to continue with the nurse training programme."
He said removing Dube from the training programme was grossly unreasonable, unfair, and a violation of section 68 of the Constitution, which stipulates the right to administrative justice, as well as violation of section 3 of the Administrative Justice Act.
"Section 56 of the Constitution affords women to enjoy the right to equal treatment, including the right to equal opportunity in political, economic, cultural and social spheres and prohibits unfair treatment or discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy," Mhlanga said.
ZLHR said failure to reinstate her, legal proceedings would be instituted against the hospital.
UBH is yet to respond to Mhlanga's letter.
The trainee nurse, Sibonginkosi Jacqueline Dube, was on May 17 suspended from the training programme after a pregnancy test produced a false positive result.
ZLHR have written to UBH ordering her reinstatement.
ZLHR's Jabulani Mhlanga wrote to UBH chief executive officer (CEO) Narcissus Dzvanga demanding Dube's reinstatement.
"After receiving the pregnancy results, Dube conducted a selftest, whose results were negative and she informed officials at UBH of this development," Mhlanga wrote.
"She also undertook further testing at Mpilo Central Hospital and the results were negative. But despite the outcome of the second set of the pregnancy test, results and numerous engagements with some UBH officials as well as some officials from the Health and Child Care ministry, Dube has not been reinstated to continue with the nurse training programme."
He said removing Dube from the training programme was grossly unreasonable, unfair, and a violation of section 68 of the Constitution, which stipulates the right to administrative justice, as well as violation of section 3 of the Administrative Justice Act.
"Section 56 of the Constitution affords women to enjoy the right to equal treatment, including the right to equal opportunity in political, economic, cultural and social spheres and prohibits unfair treatment or discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy," Mhlanga said.
ZLHR said failure to reinstate her, legal proceedings would be instituted against the hospital.
UBH is yet to respond to Mhlanga's letter.
Source - newsday
